Political parties cannot be brought under RTI: Centre to Supreme Court

The central government, on 24 August, told the Supreme Court that political parties cannot be brought under Right To Information (RTI) act.

According to the center, the move will affect the internal working of the parties and also declaring them as a public authority might lead to misuse by political rivals.

The center had filed its response in compliance with an apex court order that asked the former why parties should not be brought within RTI ambit to make them more accountable to public.

The apex court had sought a response from the centre on a PIL filed by an NGO Association for Democratic Reforms seeking court direction to make political parties amenable to the RTI Act.

Advocate Prashant Bhushan, appearing for the petitioner, contended that national parties are virtually funded by the state as they are exempted from filing income tax returns.

Bhushan said they would have to deposit 35 per cent of donation received by them had they not been exempted. He said that it shows that they are being funded by the government, making them liable to come under the RTI Act.